Usain Bolt Is 'Fit and Ready"... and Marketable

The tall Jamaican's belated start to his 2011 track season, coming on the heels of a very abbreviated 2010 competitive campaign, might make some of his zealous fans nervous. Plus, Bolt is a

scoliosis sufferer, now submitting to frequent back exercises to minimize that ailment's effects. "It's (scoliosis) not as serious as it sounds but, for me, as a track athlete, it can be serious," concedes the 100 and 200-meter world recordholder. "I work really hard to keep it away but, of course, it's still there." But he adds "everything is fine and I'll be opening my season at the end of the month, as was originally planned," with a 100-meter dash in Rome on May 26. "To be honest, I'm a little bit nervous with it being my first race of the season but I'm looking forward to it and to get the ball rolling," Bolt admits. (photo of Usain Bolt by Giancarlo Colombo/Photo Run)MoreMeanwhile, a ranking in "SportsPro" magazine lists Usain Bolt as the world's most marketable sportsman, ahead of second place Lebron James of the NBA and third place Cristiano Ronaldo of the Real Madrid soccer (football) team. Essentially, this means that for a commercial sponsor signing an athlete to a global endorsement deal, Usain Bolt is the best bet. More

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